Citizen Storm Training/Spotter Meet-Up Monday Evening

A reminder- all my readers including fellow bloggers- are invited to a National Weather Service-sponsored severe weather training session at the St . Joseph Medical Center- 1000 Carondelet Drive (I-435 and State Line Road)- Building D- in the Alex George Auditorium in southwest Kansas City, MO starting at 7:00pm.

Actual non-TV meteorologists from the NWS office in Pleasant Hill will show people how and why thunderstorms form and grow into tornado-producing monsters.

It's good stuff for anyone wanting to be sky-wise and not have to necessarily rely on someone else telling you which way the wind blows- at least severe weather-wise.

A couple of longtime weather colleagues will be there- Ms. Rittenhouse and myself included. Be glad to meet ya!

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6-Year-Old Injured in Twin Cities Swimming Pool Freak Accident Dies

Sad to report- but the 6-year-old girl whose intestines were sucked out by a swimming pool filter intake has died- according to this story from the Associated Press.

The accident- reported in THIS CSW archived post- occurred in the Twin Cities area on June 29- 2007. The child died at a children's hospital in Omaha.

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Breaking News From Xavier Onassis

Many thanx to the fine author of the Hip Suburban White Guy blog (you HAVE to read his post about LAUNDRY! lmfao!) for this breaking news story- concerning the Disney show at Sprint Arena:

"KC may have been prepared for the Big 12, but they are NOT prepared
for Disney on Ice: Princess Wishes.

It was complete and total gridlock! People were yelling and laying on their horns, NO ONE was directing traffic. There was no alternative parking at Kemper with shuttle buses going to and fro.

I saw huge crowds of moms and dads with little pre-school girls dressed in their princess costumes hot footing it from as far as 6 blocks away trying to get to the Sprint arena where they were greeted with lines that extended to the curbs.

The parents were ALL stressed out, but the kids seemed happy as could be! They were dressed like princesses and they were going to see Disney on Ice!!

"C,mon, mommy!! Hurry up!!"

Total chaos! It was hysterical."

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United States Should Boycott China's Olympics

I base this opinion not only on the shenanigans we've had involving tainted food and other products from China- but from this story from the Associated Press stating how the Chinese government- the source of the problems- may not allow live broadcasts from Tiananmen Square during the Beijing Olympics.

IF the "Shrubies" really care about democracy anywhere but HERE- then the Tibetian uprising should move them to this conclusion as well.

Screw the Chinese government I say....

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The Floods Of 2008

If you are not experiencing problems already or have heard/read about the concern- here it is.

The Central States- Texas to Nebraska eastward into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley region are either experiencing already or possibly may suffer from flooding over the next several months.

These areas have had above-average amounts of precipitation over the Winter of 2007-08- and now come the spring storms.

You've seen the recent results of the last storm- which was officially pre-spring. Bands of 10-inch-plus rainfalls from Texas to Missouri and eastward. Major flooding on many main-stem rivers. Record flooding on some smaller rivers.

With spring comes all of these regions heaviest rain according to historical record averages.

Flood-control reservoirs in Kansas are in pretty good shape as far as holding back future heavy rains except toward the eastern part of the state that received heavy rain from the last storm.

Flood-control lakes in Missouri are in less-good shape however- at least one is spilling over.

Reservoirs such as Pomme de Terre and Stockton are at or near flood-storage capacity. Truman is above-normal as is the Lake of The Ozarks and lakes in the east-central part of the state.

Lake Taneycomo in Branson-MO is flowing over it's dam- as seen HERE in a story and video from the ABC-TV affiliate in Springfield.

Moderate to major flooding is occurring on the lower Ohio and Mississippi rivers.

Looking at long-range weather forecasts- several storms are outlooked over this area during the next 2 weeks.

How much rain will fall where is still not certain- but it will be certain to aggravate the saturated ground in the areas it falls upon.

Flash-flooding is also a very real concern- as seen in the NWS image of how much rain could fall in one hour to produce flash-floods in Missouri and surrounding states.

Whether we're looking at something along the lines of the Great Flood of 1993 can't yet be predicted.

Advice from the Captain would be: If you've had water problems at your location in the past- at least prepare in advance to have water problems again.

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Local Irony

It's found on Thursday- when city budget concerns place inner-city anti-crime/violence programs in jeopardy.

Then- there's the gunfight in supposively "safe" Brookside.

Motion picture or TV script writers on acid couldn't come up with better stuff...

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Five Years Into "Mission Accomplished"

I'm sure many in Iraq and here in America wonder just what the HELL was "accomplished."

Oh yeah- that's it- we "accomplished" the occupation of Iraq UFN...

This continued occupation is breaking America- so please feel free to continue to support the Absurdity in Iraq also known as Bush's Folly.

Peace (Heh)...

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Cheney In Iraq Says We Must Stay- Americans Say Cheney Must Go

Somebody as obviously and seriously deluded to THINK that our staying in Iraq is going to either help Iraq citizens or Americans and our seriously-faltering economy MUST take leave of his position in the American government and maybe take a job at a place where fantasies are welcome...

Like the Disney Company....

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The Kansas City MetroRegion Overnight News and Weather Report - Sunday, March 16, 2008

** THREE STABBED IN LENEXA-KS **

*** Three people- at least 2 of them males in their early 20's- were stabbed by a man at an apartment complex in northwestern Lenexa around 3:20am Sunday morning.

None of the victim's injuries were immediately life-threatening.

Police arrested the white male suspect in the Crescent apartment complex in the 8400 block of Maurer about 20 minutes later. Detectives were investigating this incident.

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<><><> OVERNIGHT WEATHER <><><>

Skies had variable states of cloudiness overnight while temperatures ranged from the mid 20's to around 30 degrees in urban areas. Winds light from the north were veering to the northeast at dawn.

A spring-type storm system will affect the Kansas City MetroRegion beginning later today and lasting into early Tuesday. Monday looks to be a rainy day in the Metro.

While the main threat will be heavy rains that could cause some flooding issues- there's also a small risk for severe thunderstorms over eastern and southeastern Kansas as well as western and southwestern Missouri on Monday.

The good news is no cold air will accompany this storm system- yet temperatures will remain 5-10 degrees below average until late this coming week and- Spring begins officially on Thursday- March 20.

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Kansas City's Breaking News Leader - NBC41 ACTION NEWS.

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